For anyone, who is suffering from lung cancer, it is a must to know all stages of lung cancer and how difficult it can bring. A Pulmonologist in Jaipur, Dr. Pankaj Gulati, said that without knowing the Stage Of Lung Cancer, it is impossible to give him or her the correct medical treatment that will save a life.
Why it’s Important to Know the Stage of Lung Cancer in 2022?
By knowing the stage of lung cancer, doctors and sufferers will understand the exact location of the tumor or cancer cells in the lungs. It also says about the Exact Size of the tumor currently. And doctors can find if the cancer is at one spot or it is spreading from the lungs.
Types of Lung Cancer:
Lung cancer has two types, and the first is a small cell and a non-small cell. Both types have different stages.
1. TNM System of Lung Cancer:
In this system, T shows the size of the tumor and the location of cancer, N shows the involvement of the nodes, and it shows if cancer has spread to the lymph nodes near the lungs or not, and M days about the metastasis. This cancer might spread to the liver, bones, brains, kidneys, adrenal glands, and other body parts.
At first, the doctors will stage the tumor, starting with these letters. But, later, they define the stages with more specific, starting from 0 to 4.
2. Stages of Small Cell Lung Cancer:
There are two types of stages. The first one is a limited stage, and another is an extensive stage. The Limited Stage means the lung cancer had spread to only one lung and nearby lymph nodes. The Extensive Stage means that the tumor had spread to other areas of the lungs and chest. It also means that cancer might have spread to the fluid around the lungs.
3. Stages of Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer:
This type of lung cancer is a more common type of cancer. You can describe it by clinical or pathological stage. Doctors use imagining scans to take images of the stages of this cancer.
All Stages of Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer:
1. Occult Stage:
It is possible to pick up the cancer cells in the mucus a person coughs up. At this stage, it is impossible to see tumors through images.
2. Stage 0:
At this stage, the tumor is tiny, where there is no spread of the cancer cells into the deeper lung tissues or outside the lungs.
3. Stage 1:
There is cancer in the lungs.
4. Stage 2:
It has spread to the lungs.
5. Stage 3:
Cancer has spread into the lymph nodes.
6. Stage 4:
Cancer is spreading around the body.
Final Thoughts:
Do you think that you have the symptoms of lung cancer? If yes, you should immediately consult a Pulmonologist, Dr. Pankaj Gulati, while undergoes lung cancer treatment in Jaipur. Lung cancer can be life-threatening, and a person may have to lose his life if the proper treatment is not given. So, early action is necessary to save a life.